


Harry Potter and The Year 18 Years Of Secrets Were Revealed (It Ended Badly For Dumbledore)

by AlexTealGold



Series: Harry Potter Books [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Bad Albus Dumbledore, Bad Ginny Weasley, Bad Ron Weasley, Characters Reading Harry Potter Books, Except those I kill, F/F, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Gen, Genius Harry Potter, Good Hermione Granger, Harry Potter Characters Read The Books, Hermione Granger is a Good Friend, James Potter Lives, Lily Evans Potter Lives, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Meddling Albus Dumbledore, Multi, Nice Petunia Dursley, Nice Severus Snape, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Politically powerful Harry Potter, Powerful Harry Potter, Remus Lupin Lives, Sirius Black Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24996382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexTealGold/pseuds/AlexTealGold
Summary: What would happen if a different harry potter universe read their different books? Prepare to see the characters in a new light...Essentially I was writing a story and thought 'hey, how would XYZ react to seeing this'...Hence, this story...  !Could anyone help add the 'reading the story part'? Struggling to do it myself tbh...
Relationships: Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, Amelia Bones/Severus Snape, Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, Astoria Greengrass/George Weasley, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Voldemort, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Gabrielle Delacour/Charlie Weasley, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Pandora Lovegood/Xenophilius Lovegood, Percy Weasley/Delphi, Petunia Evans Dursley/Vernon Dursley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Teddy Lupin/Victoire Weasley
Series: Harry Potter Books [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1809505
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	Harry Potter and The Year 18 Years Of Secrets Were Revealed (It Ended Badly For Dumbledore)

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS NOT COPIED FROM [TealAlex (GoldenTealPanther)]   
> I write on both accounts but found the notifications were getting too much to keep track of so created a new email to use for all online work. Not gonna take the old works down though as ppl may be subscribed or just prefer my other account.

**Harry Potter - Slytherin style Chapter 1**

It was lunchtime in the Great hall and by some magical coincidence that only happens when the author is too lazy to come up with any other idea, everyone was there. It was the start of Harry’s seventh year (Just a warning, this is very different from the actual book) and she was already bored.

Ron and Ginny were muttering about something to the side, probably how to steal more money, Harry thought, she knew all about the meddling but took a very Slytherin approach towards it. Just as lunch was about to end Dumbledore rose. The hall quieted down immediately and Harry silently groaned, this would be good.

“It’s nice to see so many smiling young faces,” he began, “and I just wanted to say that we’ll be reading a book on the life of a student of your choosing this month. Please cast your votes by writing a name on the parchment in front of you.” he sat down and noise rose in the great hall once again.

Harry smirked as she wrote down her name, her full name, on the parchment in elegant flowing script. This could reveal everything and he wouldn’t have to do a single thing! 

A few moments later all the votes had been cast and the results shown in silver letters. They read Harry Potter. Of course, they did.

As a pile of books thudded in front of everyone Dumbledore spoke again.

“ Now, let us begin!” He cast a spell so the book would read out itself, pausing whenever someone spoke. Harry snorted, it was a very basic spell. 

  
  


**Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were sad to say that they were perfectly boring, sorry.**

“Hang on!” Ron cried out, “they despise everything abnormal!” Hermione shared a glance with Harry as low murmurs broke out in the hall.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious because they just didn't come into contact with it that often.**

“Seems more likely,” was the general murmur around the hall from those who had guessed at what Harry’s home life was like, or from those who Dumbledore had convinced.

**Mr Dursley was believed to be the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, strong man with a large shaggy beard and rippling muscles. Mrs Dursley was slender, with inky black hair and had warm violet eyes that oozed care and compassion. The Dursleys had a small son called Diego and in their opinion, there was only one finer child anywhere.**

At this murmurs broke out again and all who had seen the Dursleys frowned. That wasn’t what they looked like, and Dumbledore had assured them the child’s name was Dudly... 

However, at the teacher’s table, all bar Dumbledore and Hagrid exchanged smirks. This would be a good read and cause lots of pain for Dumbledore.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had many secrets, with their greatest hope being somebody would discover the biggest one. They thought how wonderful it would be if anyone found out about the Potters.**

Most of the students spat out their drink and Dumbledore was suddenly so thankful for his almost foolproof idea to put hate influencers on the family. 

**Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's triplet, but they hadn't met for several years; Mrs Dursley often acted like they were still close though because her sister and her wonderful husband were everything you could wish for from a family. The Dursleys loved to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters and the rest of their family arrived in the street.**

Again Dumbledore was thankful for the potions and compulsions. How else was Harry meant to be abused if the family were nice? However, unlike the headmaster, many of the students noticed the triplet comment and began to wonder who the third person was and why they had not heard of them.

Murmurs broke out among the hall as people began to wonder what was going on with the Dursleys.

“Hey, Harry! Thought your relatives hated your parents?” Ron yelled down the table, his mouth filled with food.

Harry scrunched up her nose in disgust as flecks of chicken and mashed potato flew at her.

**The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small child, too, but they had never even seen it. This child was the unfortunate reason for keeping the Potters away; they were already too powerful to not cause trouble with accidental magic, even before their first birthday.**

Harry exchanged a smirk with Snape as she saw Dumbledore sigh in relief. The blocks were off her magic thank you very much. A few students snorted, not believing Harry’s magic to be anything extraordinary based off of the mediocre performance they had seen in class.

Harry grinned again but covered it behind her hand. Everyone would be in for a big surprise soon.

**When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on a rainy, dark Tuesday our story started. There was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most colourful tie for work, and Mrs Dursley laughed away happily as she helped a chattering Diego into his high chair.**

At this, the unknowing became more confused while those who knew stifled giggles knowing what this story would reveal. Dumbledore spoke up, confused, “I thought your cousin's name was Dudly, Harry, my boy?”

That gained a snort from Harry, Malfoy and Longbottom before all responded in perfect sync “There’s a lot you don’t know, Dumbledore,”

The book began reading again without allowing time for the students to react, leaving everyone who did not know to frown in confusion at the cryptic statement.

**Both noticed a large, black owl with glowing red eyes soar past the window and exchanged curious glances.**

Dumbledore became even more thankful for the wards causing hate, while the potions professor rolled his eyes in exasperation, recognising the owl immediately as one belonging to the uncle of Lily and Petunia.

**At half-past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Diego good-bye but missed, because Diego was now painting, and paint was flying everywhere.**

**"My little tyke," chortled Mr Dursley as he left their house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar -- a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr Dursley didn't recognise it -- then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, and he instantly remembered her.**

“Professor!” everyone cried out, to Minerva’s embarrassment.

“What? I thought he hated magic?” Ronald demanded to no-one, “why would he recognise McGonagall?”

Again murmuring broke out as people began to believe there was something they were not being told. All who knew just smirked, as they watched the chaos unfold.

**What could he say though? It would be better to let Petunia do the talking, he thought, as she was more familiar with things this side of the pond. Mr Dursley smiled and winked at the cat. It winked back.**

Again murmurs started rising up among the students, with Dumbledore sighing in relief.

“Harry! What did the book mean, this side of the pond?” Ginny screeched in her harpy-like voice.

Harry rolled her eyes in exasperation, “My uncle moved to America as a young child, so he grew up there,”

**As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive --had she been looking for them? Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of his true job and his family.**

“True Job? Harry m’boy do you know that means?” Dumbledore asked seemingly calmly, despite fuming on the inside.

“No Dumbledore, I do not know why the book would coincider this job his ‘true job’ other than the reason it is his only job. Please refrain from calling me ‘m’boy’ though, as I am afraid I do not like the term very much, especially given that I am not close to you.” Harry spoke softly, her voice cutting through the murmuring crowds.

Dumbledore sat back in his chair, speechless that someone had had the audacity to speak back to him. Him! The great and all-powerful Dumbledore!

**But on the edge of town, his family was driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of witches and wizards. They were easily recognisable in brightly coloured cloaks. Mr Dursley was always curious about the events surrounding the magical world’s choice to remain hidden. He supposed this was an important day, either a special event or finally deciding to stop hiding. America had done that years ago and Ilvermorny was now a joint magic and Muggle school. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these cloaked magic-users standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was excited to see that a couple of them weren't young (and therefore reckless) at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! Huh. Then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably some miracle -- these people were obviously celebrating something as the wizarding world was still backwards if they still wore cloaks. . . yes, that would be it. He thought back to home in the USA where all the witches and wizards wore uniforms of dragon scales, with jackets and utility belts. The traffic moved on, ignoring Benjamin’s thoughts, and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind mostly returned to his family.**

**Mr Dursley always sat facing the viewing screen in his office on the ninth basement floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it easier to concentrate on work that morning. He saw the owls swooping past in broad daylight, as did people down in the street; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owls after owls sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal morning. He helped five different people. He made several important telephone calls to people like Lord Malfoy and Lady Greengrass (two important figures in the wizarding world) and lectured a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself and his co-worker Mr Longbottom a butterbeer, with Lord Malfoy requesting Fishy Green ale and Lady Greengrass asking for a pint of Wizard’s Brew, from the local pub.**

**He'd forgotten all about the probably lost until he passed a group of them next to the pub. He eyed them curiously as he passed. He hoped this lot wasn’t too drunk, given they were hanging around the pub a lot. This bunch, however, were whispering excitedly and he couldn't see a single wand. It was on his way back past them, the drinks in his charmed satchel, that he managed to listen in on a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard--"**

**"-- yes, their son, Harry--"**

**Mr Dursley stopped dead. How stupid were these people? He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He strolled back across the road, sauntered up to his office, politely asked his secretary not to disturb him, took a pot of floo powder off the mantelpiece and flung some in the fire, calling out his wife's name. A moment later the fire turned green and two faces appeared in the fireplace.**

**“Minnie,” he asked the older woman, “what happened to Lillianna and Jaymin?”**

**The professor sighed before answering.**

**“They were part of a plot to gain world domination - “**

**At that Iris snorted, “Lillianna was always part of those plots, mostly on the dominating side, so what specifically occurred, and did it involve our uncle Tom?”**

**“Yeah,” the professor nodded, “They were killed and when their child was tried to be killed they survived.”**

**There was a moment of silence before Petunia burst into laughter.**

**“Oh Auntie Minnie,” she chuckled, “that wasn’t my sister. My sister was the Mistress of Death so she couldn’t be killed. On top of that she was an Unspeakable that specialised in lifelike cloning, and to top of the trilogy, she also had a gorgeous daughter called Harmony.”**

**The older woman joined in the laughing but Vernon was still puzzled.**

**“So why do people think they’re dead?” he asked.**

**His wife just gave him a flat look, “It’s easier to work undercover when you are believed dead. Think that’s the way the rest of the marauders are going.”**

**At that, all three began to laugh again, and his wife ended the call shortly after.**

**Moments later a knock hit the door.**

**“Come in,” Vernon said as he straightened his pink tie with cartoon cars on it.**

**At that, the door opened by itself and an arrogant looking man with a pale pointed face and cold grey eyes. He looked like the type to bribe and bully his way to the puppet masters strings.**

**The man sat opposite Benjamin and silence ruled for several minutes. Then Benjamin spoke up and held his hand out, palm facing up.**

**“I am Fangs and I solemnly swear to stand by the pack.”**

**A brief moment of silence before the man too held out his palm millimetres away from Vernon’s and repeated the phrase.**

**“My name is Venom and I solemnly swear to stand by the pack.”**

**At that, both men relaxed considerably and Vernon leaned closer. The grey-eyed man smirked and his appearance melted away to show bright pink spiky hair and glowing blue eyes.**

**“How’s everyone doing, Lucius?” Vernon asked.**

**At that, the man sighed and ran a hand through his hair.**

**“I’m assuming you don’t already know about any of our actual names yet, Benjamin?” he asked and Benjamin (known to others as Vernon) shook his head.**

**“Nope, sorry. Iris may know a bit more but my works on the other side of the pond mainly!” he laughed.**

**“Right then,” Lucas continued, “This may be a long explanation.”**

**Both men leaned back in their chairs and Benjamin pulled out a dark brown stick. He gave it a casual flick and a teacup full of hot cocoa appeared, as well as the drink Lord Malfoy requested floated over to him. The other drinks disappeared in a pop, likely to the one who asked for it. Lucas was clearly curious about the teacup but it was only shown through the slight rise of an eyebrow. Benjamin smirked and motioned to the door.**

**The duo sat in silence for a minute or two before the door was flung open and an incredibly feminine-looking man with loose brown curls and warm amber eyes strolled in, a black-haired girl on his hip and a brunette girl on his shoulders. The girls looked no older than four.**

**“Aww,” Lucius cooed, “are these Aquila and Theodora?”**

**The man smiled softly and nodded, before turning to Benjamin.**

**“Shall we let Lucius continue with his explanation? It’s fairly complicated so I’ve been brought in to help with details.”**

**Benjamin nodded and Lucas began.**

**“Right now at the school only Professor McGonnagal, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn know about our true identities outside the pack. They are out base in the school and we call them Lioness, Raven, Badger and Snake. It just helps with writing coded letters.**

**Lily and James, next I think. Lily is neither an Evans or a Lily. Her name is Lilliannana Prince and her husband is Jaymin Potter-Peverall. She is believed to be a stay at home Mom with an Auror husband. In reality, both are Unspeakables called Fireball and Mist. Lillianna recently gave birth to a stunning baby girl called Harmony. She has a drop of our entire pack’s blood - except mine and my wife’s - running through her and is the future lady to all our houses, no matter if our personal children are older. Ryker?”**

**He turned to the man that had entered last and he shrugged.**

**“Lillianna’s a fire elemental and a Phoenix animagus called Fireball and Jaymin is a stag animagus called Chaos, but you got everything else.”**

**Lucas nodded and started again, Benjamin listening with rapt attention.**

**“Next is Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Do you know anything about either?”**

**Benjamin nodded, “I know all that Lillianna mentioned to Iris while she was at school but only that they were pining for each other after graduating. Oh! Remus was a werewolf!”**

**Lucas smirked a toothy smile and Ryker blushed a deep red.**

**“Sirius Black is actually called Sirius Black-Hufflepuff, yeah, his Slytherin family are all Hufflepuff descendants. He’s a Grim animagus called Padfoot and is pretty much the same as people think he is, exept for being a lot more caring, getting along with his family and Gay.”**

**At that Benjamin spat out his butterbeer. Lucius glared at him and vanished the drink before continuing.**

**“Remus is married to Sirius and is a wolf animagus called Lunar. They are genderfluid but always called Ryker. Ryker Lupin-Ravenclaw. They have two daughters called Aquila and Theodore, who prefers to be called Teddy. Little Teddy’s a metamorphous like her father.”**

**Benjamin glanced over to Ryker who was now so red it was impressive. Both girls were curled into his chest asleep.**

**“I’m going to tell you the rest now so please don’t interrupt. Severus Snape is really called Sebastian Prince and the oldest triplet. He has taken the potions position at Hogwarts but has to act like a biased pureblood. He is really just a big softie and married Amy Bones a few years ago and has a daughter called Nicolas, or Nicole. Their marriage is not known about nor is Nicole. He is a panther animagus called Onyx and Amy is a Fox called Justice.**

**My name is believed to be Lucius Malfoy and my wife is Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. In reality, I am Lucas Malfoy-Griffindor with a wife of Alacissa Malfoy nee Black. We have a son called Draconis, but we always call him Coco, and my wife just gave birth to our daughter Bailey, who we call Leya. The public only knows about Draconis but think we have right stuck-up purebloods. I work in the ministry while Alacissa is secretly a healer. I am a Basilisk called Venom and she is a Unicorn called Whisper.**

**The other Ali is Alicia Longbottom nee Prewett, who people call Alice, who recently married Freddie Longbottom, who people call Frank. They have two children called Noctus and Katherine. Noctus is known as Neville and Katherine is not known at all. The adults have the same fake jobs as Lillianna and Jaymin. Alicia is a badger called Poison Ivy and Freddie is an ox called Du.**

**Our resident auror reader, Pandora is really called Pandalia Fawley. She is a charm developer and married Xenophilius Lovegood. Currently, she is pregnant with her daughter, Star Fawley-Lovegood. Her form is an arctic fox called Dreamer.**

**Carla Greengrass is really Kira Greengrass nee Shafiq. She has two daughters Daphne - actually Darcy - and Astoria - actually Astrid - and she is a Husky animagus called Icebolt.**

**Isabella Riddle nee Black is thought to be Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black. She’s having a lot of fun pretending to be insane right now - it’s so realistic. She married Lillianna’s Uncle Tom a few years ago and they now have a teenage daughter called Delphi. Tom is also using the cover of lord Voldemort to work and assemble teams. Isabella’s animagus form is a raven called Karma and Tom isn’t a marauder but is a black Phoenix.**

**Arthur and Molly Weasly are really called Aaron Weasley and Milli Weasley nee Prewett. They currently have five children: Benji Weasly (William Weasley), Carly Weasley (Charlus Weasley), Pietro Weasley (Perciville Weasley) and the newest twins Logan and Finley (George and Frederic). Aaron fakes working in the Ministry but is an unspeakable called Ghost with an animagus of a Thesteral called Techno. Milli is a Bear called Hugs. She is so fluffy it’s unreal!**

**Amelia Bones is actually Amy Prince nee Bones and she married Sebastian Prince. That’s everyone.” Lucas finished speaking.**

**Benjamin smirked and Ryker shook his head sadly.**

**“I am a Hellhound called fangs and my wife is a Siberian tiger called charmer. Now that’s everyone.”**

**Lucas just rolled his eyes and stood up, Ryker following. As nice as this meeting had been they really needed to get going.**

**After that meeting, Benjamin found it a lot harder to concentrate on work and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he apologised quickly, as the tiny man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley (Mr Dursleys real name) realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"**

**And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

**Mr Dursley rolled his eyes at the charms teacher's joyful attitude and walked back to his car. As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw -- and it made him laugh -- was the tabby cat he'd spoken to earlier in the fireplace. The Professor was now sitting on his garden wall. He knew it was her; the markings were the same around her eyes.**

**"Really? Would you like to come in? " muttered Mr Dursley loudly.**

**The cat smirked and strolled through the open door. It gave him a stern look as she passed. This was normal McGonagall behaviour. Mr Dursley smiled. Trying to not laugh, he let himself into the house. He didn’t bother his wife as he told her at lunchtime already.**

**Mrs Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner about Mrs Next Door's likely magical daughter Hermione and how Diego had learned a new word ("Thanks!"). Mr Dursley tried to act normally as the cat made herself at home on the sofa. When Diego had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern. " The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early -- it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight. "**

**Mr Dursley sat smirked in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters. . .**

**Mrs Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea and a saucer of scotch. This was funny.**

**“People are going to start thinking that this has something to do with Harmony and Dumb-as-a-door, eh Iris, Minnie?” he asked.**

**As he had expected, Mrs Dursley smirked. After all, they spoke about this earlier.**

**"What specifically?" she said.**

**"Magic related stuff on the news," Mr Dursley snorted. "Owls. . . shooting stars. . . and there were a lot of stupidly dressed people in town today. . . "**

**"Huh?" Mrs Dursley grinned, “don’t you teach people how to fit in Minnie?”**

**The cat snorted into her scotch.**

**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pink lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he should tell her he'd heard everyone refer to her niece as a boy. He decided he didn't dare ask directly. Instead, he said, as casually as he could, "Their daughter-- she'd be about Diego's age now, wouldn't she?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs Dursley smiled, “I don’t actually know.”**

**"What's her name again? Harmony, isn't it?"**

**"Harmony, yes. Lovely regal sounding name, if you ask me. "**

**"Oh, yes," said Mr Dursley, his lips widening into a smirk. "Yes, I quite agree. "**

**He didn't say another word on the subject, only laughing, as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley opened the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat walked out of the catflap and sat on the wall again as if she hadn’t spent the day gossiping and then drunk enough to get Hagrid drunk. She was staring down Privet Drive as though she were waiting for something.**

**What had Dumb-as-a-door done now? Could it have anything to do with the Potters? If it did. . . he would pay for ever hurting his sister-in-pack and her husband.**

**Sighing, he silently came out of the bathroom, closed the window and walked downstairs, fully aware of Ivy following him. Opening the front door he looked directly at the cat.**

**“We will protect her to the best of our abilities but he wants the girl to be a moldable puppet and thinks she’s a boy. Please pretend that we’re awful and muggles,” he said bluntly.**

**There was a pause, and then the cat nodded slowly, as if it didn’t want to agree but knew it was for the best.**

**Upon returning upstairs, the Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that despite it being certain the Potters were involved, there was no logical reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. Everyone knew very well what he and Petunia pretended to think about them and their kind. . . He knew deep down that he and Petunia were going to get mixed up in everything that was going on -- he yawned and turned over -- it would be the only solution in dumb-as-a-door’s mind.**

**How very right he was.**

**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into a deep sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. She didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed in irritation.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. Minnie had broken it at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome, and not just by the muggles. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still glaring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known. "**

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again -- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, only the sharp-eyed Mrs Dursley would have been able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall. "**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead, he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, a furry emerald one. Her wavy black hair was drawn into a loose bun. She looked distinctly annoyed.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly. "**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," lied Professor McGonagall .**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here. "**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, I've been celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no -- even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on the news. " She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls. . . shooting stars. . . Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent -- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense. "**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years. "**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours. " And it’s you who removed the muggle integration classes that teach wizards how to act in the muggle world, she thought irritably.**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?" Minnie lied again, remembering having a swearing contest with the man earlier.**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A what?" Minerva was becoming incredibly irritated with the manipulative man.**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of. "**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone--" she substituted You-Know-Who to Tommy and ‘gone’ to ‘killed by you’. She also swapped the lemon drops for ones loaded with vertisirum.**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense -- for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort. " Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who. ' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name. "**

**"I know you haven't, '' said Professor McGonagall, sounding given-up as she knew it was Dumbledore that created the feared name. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of. "**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have. "**

**"Only because you're too -- well -- ‘noble’ to use them. " she snorted under her breath after that.**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs. "**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said "The owls are nothing next to the rumours that are flying around. Do you know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed to Dumbledore that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to get Dumbledore’s opinion on, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, annoyed with his lack of response, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are -- are -- that they're -- dead. "**

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall’s eyes widened ever so slightly.**

**"Lily and James. . . I can't believe it. . . I didn't want to believe it. . . Oh, Albus. . . "**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know. . . I know. . . " he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled with laughter as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's ‘son’, Harry. But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke -- and that's why he's gone. "**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's -- it's true ?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all, he's done. . . all the people he's killed. . . he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding. . . of all the things to stop him. . . but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know. "**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles to hide a snort. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. The cat-woman understood it instantly and it must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now. "**

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here ?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four, taking Benjamin’s request to a new level. "Dumbledore -- you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son -- I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter comes and lives here!" she lied through her teeth.**

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter. "**

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall, wondering how unstable Dumbledore was. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous -- a legend -- I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future -- there will be books written about Harry -- every child in our world will know his name!"**

**‘Though if they really wanted to write a book they should at least use the correct names,’ she mentally added.**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth to swear at the man, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes -- yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it. She wouldn’t put it past him.**

**"Hagrid's bringing him. "**

**"You think it -- wise -- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall agreed grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to -- what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky -- and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. Minerva rolled her eyes at the bike she gifted to Sirius after she was too old to still roar through the sky with a trail of fire shooting out the back.**

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild -- long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir. ", Did he, now, Minerva mentally questioned with a roll of her eyes.**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir -- the house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarming around. He fell asleep as we were flying over Bristol. "**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over its forehead, they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

**"Is that where -- ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever. " No she won’t, Minnie thought.**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well -- give him here, Hagrid -- we'd better get this over with. "**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I -- could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it -- Lily an' James dead -- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles--"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute, the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations. "**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall -- Professor Dumbledore, sir. "**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar, it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner, he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A few moments after he had left, the emerald cloaked cat emerged from the shadows.**

**“And to think I had a small bit of trust left in him… “ she placed her hand on Harmony’s forehead and the scar glowed brightly before healing, “There, good luck Harmony, remember, your parents aren’t dead and things aren’t always what they seem.”**

**She then disappeared into the shadows of the night, soon to return, but not before removing all the enchantments Dumbledore put up and tucking fluffy violet blankets around the little baby girl.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harmony Potter-Prince-Peverall rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and she slept on, not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's annoyed but not shocked sniff as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being soothed and taught by her cousin Diego. . . She didn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter -- the boy who lived!" And seventeen sat in secret, raising a glass and proclaiming, “To Harmony, our Princess.”**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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